So why does Alan call me the maker?

This is a reference to lots of my business ventures involve some level of DIY. But there’s been a lot more than that.

I was Alan’s boss in 2005 and I moved to Spain to develop properties. I asked Alan to build me a website and he came out to stay with my wife and I for a week. The next thing we worked on together was a bar in Spain called Alba’s – which my wife named after our dog.

When I got back to the UK, I worked for Halfords for a bit and would ask Alan to design various bits and pieces. I then launched a damp proofing business, which Alan did the branding and website for.

And it was damp proofing that led me to discover bathroom cladding, because it was used a lot as part of solutions for damp in properties.

Alan helped me launch Bathroom Cladding Direct, and subsequently Decor Cladding & Bathrooms and Decor Home Products.

And just to throw a bit of variety in, I’ve also launched businesses selling telescopic ladders and bioethanol burners, which again Alan did all of the branding and websites for.